View Full Version : Photography for magazine article
bananabook
12-02-2010, 01:09 PM
Hi -
I'm Dan Koeppel, author of "Banana: The Fate of the Fruit that Changed the World," and a lurker :) on the forums.
I'm finishing up a banana-related story for National Geographic, and the photography department has requested a shot of Gros Michel, hopefully growing. I'm wondering if anyone on the forums who is located in the continental US is growing the GM and has fruiting plants at the moment.
If you do, and you are willing to have a photographer come visit, please let me know. (Alternate suggestions are welcome, too.)
The story, FYI, is slated for the June issue, and mostly concerns a visit I made to an abandoned banana research garden in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It will be pretty interesting, I think/hope.
thanks,
Dan
Nicolas Naranja
12-02-2010, 02:56 PM
Gene Joyner owns Unbelievable Acres botanical garden in West Palm Beach. I know that he has some Gros Michel bananas. He regularly gives tours of his garden and he used to be an Extension Agent and I am sure he would love to be featured in National Geographic. The only Gros Michel I have ever seen were his.
(561) 242-1686.
Markku Hakkinen
12-02-2010, 03:02 PM
I have one recently taken photo of GM from Guangzhou China. In the photo one can see fruit bunch and male flower.
Markku.
Dalmatiansoap
12-02-2010, 03:23 PM
:woohoonaner:
Dan Koeppel and Markku Hakkinen in the same thread!
This is like an Oscar Nomination Show!
We sure need more posts from You here.
:nanadrink:
bananabook
12-02-2010, 07:18 PM
Gosh, I hardly feel I'm in the same league as Markku. But thanks for the compliment and the info. I would like to participate more in these forums; I've said so before, though, and not followed through - I have a crazy travel schedule.
That said, if anyone's interested, here's a video of a lecture on the future of the fruit and genetic engineering that I recently gave at Oregon State University:
Genetically Modified Banana Breakthrough Dan Koeppel's Blog (http://bigparadela.com/wordpress/archives/1246)
Thanks again,
Dan
Rats!!! Wish mine was fruiting....... can you hold NatGeo off for a year?
Very cool Dan, loved your book enough to read it at least 3 times and we sure share the same intense interest in this cultivar and its history etc.
Want a picture of a small one grown from a tiny pup.......... along with the owner and his dogs?:ha:( Can smile on command too) Didn't think so but, it'll be here and grown well and shared with a few in an effort to get it back in circulation. Cant wait to see the article... pretty excited to look forward to really........ Very cool!:woohoonaner:
MediaHound
12-02-2010, 08:27 PM
I never grew this kind Dan, sorry, cannot help.
Would love to pick up the issue though, please let us know when it's on newstands.
Thanks for all your work over the years with banana.
Gabe15
12-02-2010, 09:55 PM
Plenty here in Hawaii, but that would not satisfy your mainland requirement unfortunately.
bananabook
12-03-2010, 12:54 PM
@gabe15
Lucky you to live in Hawaii! A year ago, I visited for the first time, on my honeymoon, and my wife agreed that we could spend a single "banana day" (seriously generous of her, considering that the idea was to get away from every day life.) We trolled the Big Island farmer's markets, and it was truly paradise for the fruit.
Thanks to all who answered. I've forwarded all this info to the photo department at NG.
FYI, the story in the magazine is quite short, and will focus on breeds and disease resistance. As with all NG stories, images take precedence over text; as a writer, all I can say is: THE NERVE! ;) But the pictures are beautiful.
The adventure itself was amazing. I'd originally written a much longer piece for National Geographic Adventure, but that magazine folded just before the scheduled appearance. However, the extended account was featured in the Netherlands issue of NG this past June. Though the entire story isn't online and what is is in Dutch - there's a nice, but brief, image gallery that you might find interesting. You can also see a summary of the trip, in English, along with some of my photographs at the promusa site, both linked from my blog, here:
Bananas in the Democratic Republic of Congo Dan Koeppel's Blog (http://bigparadela.com/wordpress/archives/1334)
I will eventually post the original, even more extended version online, but it will have to wait until the upcoming NG story goes off-sale.
Again, thanks for all your help.
((Edited to change URLs to link to new blog posting))
- Dan
Bananaman88
12-03-2010, 01:47 PM
Excellent! Luckily I have been at Nat. Geo. subscriber for years! Looking forward to this issue! Thanks for the heads up.
Planter56
12-03-2010, 10:36 PM
Of all the times to only be able to get dial up connections :( Can't afford the other. Can't look at blogs or vids, takes wayyyyy to long to down load. sigh...
I hope you get the photos you need!
bananabook
12-07-2010, 12:29 PM
Hi All -
So, our attempts to photograph a Gros Michel in the continental US didn't pan out; Gene Joyner's fruit isn't anywhere near ready.
Our next thought is to get a ready-to-ripen finger or two into the studio (in Washington, DC.) Does anyone know of a specific Hawaiian source? (I'm also concerned about agricultural quarantine; I know that I couldn't bring and bananas back with me when I visited…)
Any help or thoughts would be appreciated. A signed copy of my book as a finder's fee!
- Dan
I'm on it..... but I get to come down to DC to eat some if I can pull it off...... I know someone who knows someone and may be able to get some shipped to nearby Virginia if it pans out ,but we'll see....... and I want an autographed pic taken with you too!:ha:
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